Does the employer’s feedback really matters?

Jason Kenney recently called upon the employers to actively seek out and recruit the skilled worker immigrants they need and thus help build the nation. At present also, there are many federal immigration programs and provincial immigration programs, which are claimed to be put together for the benefit of employers.

A complicated application process

I wonder whether these so-called programs are doing any good to the employers or these are just to make mockery of the business people in Canada! It is no hidden fact that Canada has extensive shortage of labour whether it be skilled or unskilled labour. Employers are expected to do extensive recruitment efforts locally before they decide to take advantage of the foreign worker programs. Then the application itself is so complicated and there are tens of supporting documents required to get a positive labour market opinion to hire a foreign worker. Then there is another segment of hard work by the employer where he finds, assesses and recruits a foreign national only to be slapped “NO” by the Canadian visa offices. At the end of several months, the employer is drained off his energy with no solution to his plight.

A waste of time and ressources

The immigration system has failed the employers by giving them false hopes, wasting their time and resources. How can then Mr. Kenney expect the employers to come forward and provide him with their opinion?

On one hand, one government department is acknowledging the labour shortage by providing the employer with the positive labour market opinion and on the other hand, another government department is denying visas for the prospective employees by alleging that the candidate will not return back to his home country or he does not have sufficient funds or sufficient ties to home country. Isn’t that absolutely ironic?

On the top of all this, the employers can’t even appeal the decisions made by Canada visa officers. All they can do is to apply for judicial review which again takes several months for the decision. Is it fair for the honorable minister to go back to these employers after he has failed to provide them with the relief in the first place?

Renu GoelImmigration Program Student at Ashton College
under the tutelage of Jose Godoy Toku